Method

the identity flower –
making group affiliations visible

Aim:The participants reflect on their own identities and group affiliations in order to gain a better understanding of how diverse and complex personalities really are. Participants from several partners organisations are thus able to get to know each other in a variety of ways, thereby avoiding stereotypes and finding common ground.

Duration:about 60 min
Participants: up to 30
Materials:paper, pens

Step 1: 10 min
Every participant gets pencils and a sheet of paper and starts by drawing a blossom with large petals. In each petal, he/she writes a facet of his/her identity: What makes you special? Who are you to yourself/to others?

Step 2: 30 min
The participants form pairs, exchange aspects of their identity flowers and try to justify their choice of identity aspects. In a second round of discussions, they reflect on the groups to which they feel they belong. This may be based on the following inputs:

-What experiences do you have with belonging to a group (e.g. pleasant or difficult experiences with belonging; voluntary/involuntary belonging; what type of belonging is especially meaningful for you)?

-Do you choose to which groups you belong or is membership assigned to you?

-What group affiliations do you have in common? Which ones are different?

Step 3: 20 min
The participants then summarise important findings from the group discussions in line with the aims of the method.